The Mavericks went to Sacramento and won what will likely be the worst national television game of the NBA season on Tuesday night. The Mavericks won behind an ugly but collective team effort, with six players finishing in double figures, led by Cooper Flaggs’ 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, with just one turnover. Flagg also shot 50/40/100 in the win. Anthony Davis helped with a 19-point, 16-rebound double-double, though he shot just 7-for-23 from the field. Brandon Williams also had 18 points, including 14 in the second half, to help the Mavs erase a double-digit deficit. The Kings fought hard behind their duo of Zach LaVine (20 points) and DeMar DeRozan (21).
Dallas dug itself an early hole in the first half as Sacramento seized control with pace, physicality, and ball pressure. The Kings ripped off a decisive 22–3 run in the first quarter that flipped a competitive opening into a double-digit deficit, capitalizing on six Mavericks turnovers in the period and repeatedly scoring before Dallas could get set defensively. Russell Westbrook set the tone by controlling the tempo and leading Sacramento’s early scoring and playmaking, while the Kings dominated the glass and generated second-chance opportunities. Dallas struggled to find any offensive rhythm, with Cooper Flagg held scoreless from the field and the Mavericks relying on sporadic interior finishes and free throws to stay afloat. The second quarter offered little relief, as Sacramento continued to punish defensive lapses and extend possessions through rebounding, allowing the Kings to carry a 59–44 lead into halftime.
The Mavericks came out of the locker room with renewed urgency, sparked by an explosive third quarter from Cooper Flagg. His shot-making helped cut the deficit into the low teens, but Sacramento answered each push with timely 3-point shooting and steady execution, preventing the game from fully tilting. Dallas continued to chip away in the fourth quarter, eventually erasing the gap and turning the game into a late-game battle, with Flagg, Naji Marshall, and the supporting cast making clutch plays on both ends. The final minutes were tense and back-and-forth, but Dallas closed stronger, executing late possessions and getting a decisive 3-pointer from Brandon Williams to seal a 100–98 win after trailing by as many as 15 earlier in the night. Let’s get to the numbers.
The Mavericks definitely needed help, especially defensively, to get back into this one, and the officials were more than happy to help. The Kings were called for 20 fouls compared to just 12 for Dallas. Thirteen of the Kings’ 20 fouls came in the second half, and seven in the fourth quarter alone. That disparity allowed Dallas to shoot four more free throws than Sacramento, which was basically the deciding factor in yet another clutch game comeback for Dallas.
18: Mavericks second-chance points
The Mavericks dominated the glass on Tuesday. They grabbed 68 total rebounds, including 15 offensive boards. They held the Kings to 55 rebounds and seven offensive rebounds. Dominating the glass led to 18 second-chance points for the Mavs compared to just two for the Kings. Dallas took advantage of a depleted Sacramento frontcourt to gain the edge on the boards in the win. The Mavericks need their bigs to dominate and create extra possessions to keep up with the NBA’s more explosive offenses. They barely beat the Kings, who have the worst offense in the NBA, which shows how much better and consistent the Dallas front court needs to be.
10: Mavericks’ first-half turnovers
The Mavericks barely got away with this one after an awful first half. The Mavericks were down by 12 points at halftime due to 10 first-half turnovers. The Mavericks also let the Kings shoot 48% from the field in before halftime. The Mavericks cannot keep starting slowly against bottom-tier defenses if they want to find their footing and win some basketball games.